


Just Once

by TheAmazingBlue_J



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Interspecies Awkwardness, Shameless Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-18 18:45:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5939241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAmazingBlue_J/pseuds/TheAmazingBlue_J
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garrus has a lot of feelings the night before the collector base.<br/>Also, there's smut.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This one kinda got away from me a bit, but I've really enjoyed writing it.  
> at this point it's looking to probably be three chapters  
> I don't have a beta, so any errors are mine.  
> As always, comments/critiques are very much appreciated!

_Spirits,_ he was making a mess of things already.

The music was obviously a bad call, but at least that much he could blame on Joker. The awkward dance moves and the fumbling almost-compliments comparing her to a turian, that was all on him. He honestly wouldn’t have been at all surprised had Shepard laughed him all the way out to the elevator and back down to the crew deck, but she hadn’t. _Thank the spirits._

She gave him a smirk as she turned off the admittedly awful music, and stepped up closer to him. Close enough that he could smell the sharp clean scent of whatever it was she used to clean her hair, laced with gun oil, ozone, and something sweet and musky he could only describe as _her._ She might have said something about worrying too much, but Garrus suddenly couldn’t hear anything beyond his racing pulse as she looked up at him, the humor in her eyes vanishing, replaced by a look he didn’t quite know how to read. The same look he’d seen the night they’d had the chat about ‘blowing off steam’ that had started all this.

Garrus took a steadying breath, silently cursing himself for being so nervous. After all, this should be no different than any other time he’d relieved tension with the help of a fellow crew member. No reason to be nervous.

Except it _was_ different. Because she wasn’t just some member of the crew, she was his commanding officer. More than that, she was Shepard; his best friend, and the one person in this screwed up galaxy he both trusted and admired implicitly. Not to mention the whole _human_ thing.

He suddenly realized he’d been silent far too long. What had he just been thinking about? Trust. Right. Just be honest with her then.

Reaching out to take her hand, Garrus held it with both of his between them, avoiding her eyes as he searched for the words.

“Shepard, I..” he took another shaky breath before continuing “I’ve just seen so many things go wrong. My work at C-Sec, Sidonis… I want something to go right. Just once. Just..”

He trailed off as she lifted her free hand to his face and ran her fingers gently along his damaged mandible, leaving little trails of heat along the sensitive scar tissue. Lifting his gaze to meet hers, he saw nothing but understanding reflected back in her beautiful brown eyes.

_When did I start thinking of her eyes as beautiful?_

Gently, she tugged his head down until his crest rested on her forehead, a gesture that both touched and scared him with it’s intimacy, and he noticed for the first time that she was trembling slightly. The simple knowledge that she was just as nervous as he was washed over him, and he let himself relax into the contact. Releasing what he suddenly realized was an iron grip on her hand, he reached up to toy with a strand of damp hair resting on her shoulder, then just closed his eyes and breathed in her scent, content in that moment to simply exist with her.

Shepard’s newly freed hand came up to rest on the other side of his face, and he felt his subvocals give out a little involuntary thrum of happiness.

“Garrus, I..” whatever she was about to say was cut off when she jerked her head back slightly to look up at him through slightly narrowed eyes. “Are you _sniffing_ me?”

Garrus froze, in the midst of doing exactly that. He held the strand of hair he’d been toying with closer to his face than he’d realized, and his other hand seemed to have found it’s way to her waist at some point. He cleared his throat to try and quell the sudden panic in his voice and tried to stop his mandibles from flaring in embarrassment.

“Well, um. That depends.” He slowly raised his face to meet her stare. “How do humans generally react to being, uh.. sniffed?”

Shepard quirked one eyebrow and let out a little huff of air, “As a general rule, humans mostly think being sniffed is rather creepy.”

At least some of his dismay must have shown on his face, because she quickly tugged his head back down to hers and started giggling. The Great Commander Shepard was in his arms, _giggling_ at him, and he was at a complete loss.

“ _However,_ ” she finally took mercy on him by stifling her laughter, “I think in your case I’ll make an exception and find it endearing rather than creepy.” Pulling back to look up into his face, her expression grew serious, and Garrus caught another fleeting glimpse of that unreadable look from before. A moment later, Shepard had lunged up onto her toes, pressed her lips softly against his good mandible, then spun around to inspect the bottle of wine sitting forgotten on her desk. “Now, let’s see just what quality of dual-chirality wine a vigilante’s salary can afford” she said, her eyes sparkling with laughter as she shot him a glance over her shoulder.

Garrus stopped himself just short of pulling her back into his arms. Her lips had been pressed against his face far too briefly, but he reminded himself they still had plenty of time. If she needed a little liquid courage, well, he could use some himself. Still, his eyes followed her across the room, landing on the soft curve of her waist as she ducked down to rummage through a cabinet under the desk. A moment later, she emerged with a triumphant exclamation and two fragile looking glasses.

“Can you believe Cerberus actually made sure my cabin was stocked with a full set of stemware?” She snorted a little as she polished a fine layer of dust of the glasses with a soft cloth. “Actually, considering the fully stocked bar downstairs I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Reluctantly tearing his gaze away from her waist, Garrus cleared his throat a little. “I-uh. Think you mean the bar that _was_ fully stocked.” He chuckled a bit at the exasperated look Shepard threw him as she picked up the wine and gestured toward the couch. “Don’t look at me, you’re the one who let Kasumi set up shop in the room full of liquor. And then encouraged a friendship between her and Jack. Who’s recently on friendly terms with Zaeed. I think it’s a miracle it’s lasted this long.”

He followed her down the stairs, coming up behind her and bending down to tentatively nuzzle her neck as she poured the wine. “I don’t think you invited me up here to solve the case of the missing liquor. I know my detective skills are legendary, but I seem to recall something about testing my reach?”

She snorted again, but pressed back into him for a moment. He felt his breath catch as her soft curves seemed to mold to all his sharp angles and he had trouble thinking for a moment.

“How cruel of you to deprive me of your _Legendary Skills”_ she said, and he could almost hear her rolling her eyes. “But yes, reach and flexibility are what bring us here today. First, however,” She turned, pressing a glass of wine into his hand and gesturing again toward the couch. “First, we talk.”

“I’m pretty sure I don’t remember talking having anything to do with blowing off steam, but since you were so understanding of my.. _sniffing,_ I suppose I can indulge a few strange human customs” He sat and took an experimental sip of his wine, his eyes never leaving Shepard’s face. She seemed to be working her way up to saying something, judging by the way she gulped at her wine and perched on the very edge of the couch next to him. She twirled the glass in her hand for a few moments, then set it on the coffee table and turned to him, hands clasped in her lap.

“Look, about what you said..” she trailed of and started twisting her hands in a move that made him think she’d been spending too much time with a certain young quarian.

Setting his own nearly full glass down next to her empty one, Garrus turned further toward her. “Shepard, we don’t have to- I mean, if you’re uncomfortable.. just say the word and I’ll fire up one of those awful movies you love so much and we ca-”

“Garrus, just shut up and let me talk for a minute.” She cut him off harshly, but soothed the blow by reaching out to pull one of his hands over into her lap and looking him in the eye. “I want this. As long as you still want it too, I’m in.”

His mouth suddenly gone dry, garrus reached for his glass and took another sip before turning back to cup her face with his free hand “Shepa-Jane, I want this. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” His mandibles flared out into a turian smile and he gave a little huff of laughter, glancing down at the hand she held in her lap, then back up to where his other hand cradled her cheek and those big brown eyes stared back at him with a vulnerability he’d never seen from her before.

“Jane, I can’t really say this makes sense to me, but I know you. I trust you. And, Spirits help me, I want you.” He ducked his head a bit, embarrassed by his little speech, and decided he had not had nearly enough wine yet. Perhaps he should follow her lead and start chugging. Apparently approving of his choice, Shepard refilled her own glass, then waited until he finished draining his and gave him a refill as well. Garrus watched her expectantly as she secured the lid on the now nearly empty bottle and sat back on the couch cradling her glass, her bare feet tucked up under he in a way that looked almost painful to him. When she finally turned back to look at him, her cheeks were flushed a dark red.

“I trust you too Garrus, probably more than I trust anybody. That’s why I want to talk before we-” her cheeks flushed even darker and she hurriedly turned her attention to sipping carefully at her wine. Garrus had to choke back a laugh as she grimaced, apparently tasting it for the first time.

“Yeah, turns out being a vigilante doesn’t pay very well” He shrugged, and took another sip from his own glass. He’d had worse. “Anyway, you were saying?”

She sighed and toyed with her glass again before looking back up at him. “It’s just.. the other day, you said this will either be a night to cherish or some interspecies awkwardness-thing.” Garrus simply nodded, waiting for her to continue.

Shepard took a deep breath and shifted in her seat again before speaking. “I think you’re wrong. I don’t think there’s any way for us to avoid this being a whole interspecies awkwardness-thing.” She set down her glass and scooted closer until her knee pressed gently against his thigh and reached out for his hand, which he offered gladly. She toyed with his glove for a moment before slipping it off and holding her hand up next to his, palms pressed together.

“Look at us, Garrus. We are quite literally from two different worlds. We’re not even the same species.

Garrus studied their hands for a moment. It was hard to imagine them looking more different. Shepard’s hands were rough and calloused by human standards, he knew, but compared to his they were smooth as silk. The nails on her five fingers were short, bitten down almost to the quick, while the talons on his three fingers were long and carefully filed down to rounded blunt tips. His skin a light tan with a slight metallic sheen, while hers was the color of the coffee she drank every morning, with just a little bit of cream added. But when he turned his palm slightly, their awkwardly mismatched digits were still able to entwine. Sitting there, his fingers laced with hers, Garrus didn’t think he’d ever felt anything feel more right.

Shepard tugged lightly on his hand, not enough to pull away, but enough to startle him out of his reverie. “What I’m trying to say is, no matter what happens tonight, we’re pretty much guaranteed awkwardness. There’s gonna be a learning curve here.” She pulled their joined hands closer and started running the fingers of her free hand over his knuckles in a way he found very distracting. “Whatever happens, I don’t want anything to change. Through all this.. Cerberus.. everything..You’ve been my rock, Garrus, I don’t know what I’d do without you here with me.” She lowered her face to stare at their hands, and Garrus almost thought she was on the verge of tears.

Moving as quickly as he could without spilling, he set his wine on the table and scooted over closer to her. Reluctantly, he untangled his fingers from hers and awkwardly wrapped his arm around her shoulders, hugging her close and resting his brow against hers once more.

“Jane, you know I’ve always got your back, right? Nothing's gonna change that, especially nothing that happens in this cabin tonight. Hell, death couldn’t even change that.” He chuckled humorlessly and used his free hand to lift her chin, needing to look her in the eye. “We’re a team, right?”

She smiled up at him, her eyes shining slightly more than usual. “Right. No Shepard without Vakarian.”

“And no Vakarian without Shepard, either. Remember that.” He pressed his brow back to hers, and they sat for a minute in silence apart from a happy hum of from Garrus he wasn’t even sure Shepard could hear. Eventually, Shepard pulled away just enough to see his face, her mouth set into a slight frown.

“You know, I was gonna say something. Before you went all mushy on me, I mean.”

“Oh? So _I’m_ the one who went all mushy now, huh?”

“Sure did. I’m Commander Shepard, Saviour of the Citadel. I’m a goddamn hero and everyone knows heroes don’t go all mushy”

He let out a soft chuckle at that and gently nuzzled her neck. “I don’t know, I might have a special weakness for mushy heroes. But I promise, your secret’s safe with me”

Shepard gave him a playful shove and reached for the wine bottle “Just for that, you don’t get any more wine, I’ll finish the bottle off myself.”

Garrus just blinked for a moment. “Is that meant to be punishment or reward? I honestly can’t tell”

Shepard winced a little as she took another sip. “You know, I can’t tell either.” Another sip, followed by another grimace. “Next time you’d better spring for the good stuff. I can barely tell this is supposed to be wine. Coulda told me it was paint thinner and I’d believe you.”

“Yes, well. I recently found new employment. Boss is a friend of mine, bet I could talk her into a raise” He said, trying _very_ hard not to think too much about about exactly what she’d meant by ‘next time’

She let out a little huff of laughter, “you’d better, or I might start to think you’re trying to poison me.” With that, she tossed back the last of the wine, set her glass firmly on the table and clapped her hands. “Alright, I think it’s about time we got this show on the road. Just one more thing.”

Garrus lifted a brow plate in question, his nerves starting to sneak back up on him.

_We’re actually doing this. Just how sure am I that that rocket didn’t actually kill me?_

Shepard flushed again as she looked up into his eyes, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. “Whatever happens next, this will definitely be a night to cherish. Because it’s you and me,” a playful spark lit up her face as she smirked at him, “and when have you and I ever done anything that wasn’t great?”

His mouth started to open, a smart ass reply half formed on his tongue when she cut him off.

“Can it, Vakarian, you’ll spoil the mood.” She stood up and clapped her hands together again. When she turned to face him, he was pretty sure he’d never seen her cheeks so red, but he had definitely seen that little gleam in her eye.

It was her, ‘I have a plan’ look, and Garrus wasn’t sure whether he should be excited or terrified.

“Now get your ass over here and strip”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who left kudos and comments on the last chapter, it really means a lot to know people are enjoying my writing.  
> This is my first attempt at writing smut, and I think my face might have permanently turned a bright shade of pink, I hope you enjoy it :)

Garrus’s breath caught in his throat. He was fairly certain he’d just heard his best friend order him to strip using the same no-nonsense tone she used to bark directions in a firefight, and he was having a little trouble processing that. He was having a little trouble processing much of anything in fact, as all his blood decided to take a sudden detour to his lower abdomen. 

His problem was only compounded as Jane turned and strode over to the fish tank, leaving a trail of clothes behind her. Not that she had been wearing much to begin with, he noted as she slid a pair of snug black panties down her legs and kicked them to join the sweatpants and tank top already on the floor. He had a vague thought that human women usually wore another undergarment up top, but it was quickly drowned out by the sight of so much smooth dark skin, interrupted here and there by a pale or glowing cybernetic scar that did nothing to mar her beauty. 

It wasn’t that he’d never seen her in a state of undress before, but it had usually been in bits pieces, and there was nearly always blood involved. This was different. This wasn’t Commander Shepard peeling off layers of armor and undersuit to treat a wound or ducking into the showers to wash off the grime of the last mission. This was Jane Shepard, the woman he was beginning to suspect he had been carrying a torch for for quite a while now, slipping unhurriedly out of her clothes in front of him,  _ for him _ . Because she wanted him. He doubted he’d ever understand why she wanted him but she did. And  _ spirits,  _ did he want her too.

He couldn’t help drinking in every inch of her form as she revealed it. Her well muscled shoulders, the smooth curve of her spine, delicate ankles attached to long powerful legs he couldn’t help but imagine wrapping around his waist. As she turned to face him, his gaze drifted from her hip to the patch of dark curls between her thighs, up over the soft flesh of her belly and breasts, pausing to linger on the defined line of her collarbone and long, graceful neck. Everything about her was so alien to him, but she looked so soft and vulnerable standing there, and so strong. He ached to touch her.

It wasn’t until she cleared her throat that he realized he’d been staring again and looked up into her eyes. Her face was composed into a mask of cool confidence that belied the lingering blush on her cheeks. She quirked an eyebrow at him, leaning back against the fish tank and crossing her arms under her small breasts. He suddenly felt very overdressed.

Tearing off the one glove he still wore, Garrus stood and began to undress as quickly as possible. He didn’t make the alluring show out of it that Jane had, awkwardly fumbling at buckles his hands had unfastened a thousand times, and somehow managing to get his leggings tangled around a spur. Finally fighting himself free, he straightened to his full height and looked up to meet her eyes once more. One corner of her mouth had lifted into a tiny self satisfied smirk, and there was no denying the heat in her eyes. It was becoming something of a battle for him to stay behind his plates, but he desperately didn’t want to scare her away.

Slowly, she raised her hand and crooked a finger at him, beckoning him forward, and he was powerless to deny her. He had to stop himself from rushing to her, instead forcing himself to take slow measured steps and praying he gave off the same confidence she was exuding. He tried and failed to suppress the shiver that shot through him as her hands came to rest lightly on his waist when he had come to a stop before her. Her thumbs began to trace soft patterns on his exposed hide, and he closed his eyes to concentrate on the sensation, lifting his hands to her shoulders and lowering his head to rest against her brow.

Her scent was stronger now, and he breathed her in, marveling at how someone so alien could smell so much like home. He wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that before she broke the silence.

“Garrus, look at me.” 

When he opened his eyes he saw the confident mask stripped away, so many emotions played across her face that he had trouble catching them all. Desire was there, as was trust and, he thought, no small amount of fear. He met her eyes and tried to pour all of the affection and trust and desire he felt for her into the deep rumble coming from his second larynx. He didn’t think she could hear it, but he knew she’d be able to feel it and he didn’t have the words to communicate it any other way.

After a moment she spoke again, her gaze never leaving his. “Garrus, I want to try something er-human. Is that alright?”

He had to fight his pounding heart out of his throat to get the word out, and when he did his voice came low and rough. “Anything.”

She pulled her hands away from his waist and moved them up to wrap around his neck before he had time to mourn their loss. Leaning up on her toes, she pulled his head down to her and pressed her mouth against his. He’d seen people doing this before, mostly humans and asari, but he’d never really understood the appeal. 

He understood the moment her tongue slipped out to dance briefly along the edges of his mouth plates. His hands slipped down to grip her waist and he pressed her against the fish tank, leaning into her as she kissed and licked his inflexible mouth. Wanting to reciprocate somehow but very unsure of what to do, he hesitantly brought his tongue out to taste her. Taking encouragement from her answering moan, he slipped his tongue into her mouth and gave himself over to the sensation, surrounded by the touch and taste and smell of her.

After a time, she pulled back slightly to trail kisses over his scarred mandible and down to his neck. He tightened his grip on her waist and pressed his hips more firmly against hers, nearly growling as she gripped his cowl and pushed desperately into him. The pressure behind his plates had grown almost unbearable and he could feel his control slipping. He wouldn’t be able to contain his desire much longer. As she took his mandible into her mouth and swirled her tongue around the tip, he wondered dimly why he was even trying.

Then suddenly her mouth was gone. His eyes snapped open, afraid he’d done something wrong, but Jane was smiling up at him, face flushed and something wicked dancing in her eyes.

_ She is so beautiful.  _

Garrus took a step back when she nudged his shoulder, releasing his grip on her waist reluctantly, but eager to see where this was going.

Confusion creased his brow plates when instead of moving toward the bed, she knelt down in front of him. The confusion faded, however, when she looked up with eyes dark with desire and placed her hands on his waist. The sight of her like that,  kneeling before him so unguarded and full of need, snapped the last threads of his control and he slipped from his plates with a deep groan.

He reached out to trace the back of his hand down her face, overwhelmed yet again that he could feel so much for someone so alien. That she could feel so much for him. She closed her eyes and pressed her face against his hand, but only for a moment. When she opened her eyes her gaze travelled slowly down his body, the heat in that look nearly enough to make him shiver. Her eyes came to rest on his erection, hard and slick with his natural lubricant, and she licked her lips.

_ Is she going too…? _

Garrus’s mind went blank as she pressed her tongue against the base of his cock and began to run it slowly up the underside, taking time to pause and swirl her tongue against every ridge she encountered along the way.

_ Apparently she was _

Jane’s mouth felt so good, hot and wet, and that thing she was doing with her tongue.. it was all Garrus could do not to thrust himself into her. There was something prickling at the back of his mind, but he ignored it as she wrapped her lips around his tip and started to suck.

Suddenly, he heard Mordin’s words play through his head,  _ ‘don’t ingest’ _ and panic gripped him. Without thinking, he gripped a handful of Jane’s hair and pulled her head back, his cock slipping from her lips with a wet  _ pop _ .  

“Jane, wait!” She looked up at him as her head came back, eyes narrowing in confusion and worry. Her lips looked slightly swollen. 

_ Is that a bad sign? I think that’s a bad sign _

“What Mordin said- you could-” panic screeched from his vocal cords, and he realized he hand was trembling slightly. And that he still had a handful of her sleek black hair in his fist. He released it quickly. “Oh shit, Jane. I’m so sorry. I should have..” He was cut off as Jane let out a loud peal of laughter.

She pressed her hands against her mouth and rocked back on her heels. Garrus just stood there helplessly. He was fairly certain laughter wasn’t a sign of anaphylactic shock in humans, but he failed to see anything humorous about this.

After a few moments, Jane seemed to regain control of herself and she took a deep breath, wiping moisture from her eyes.

“Garrus, he was fucking with you.” she said, another little gasp of laughter escaping her.

He was getting frustrated now. Why wasn’t she taking this seriously? He might not be an expert on humans, but the whole ‘humans and turians are allergic to each other’ thing was pretty common knowledge.

“I’m fairly certain he wasn’t, Jane.” He took a step back and crossed his arms, waiting for her to explain.

“Well, not entirely, no. But the reaction varies from person to person.” She snorted a little and reached out to draw Garrus back closer to her. “He tried the same line with me at first, but eventually he cracked and  admitted he’d already tested us for, um.. compatibility. He assured me the most we could expect is a mild reaction, and even that’s not likely”

“He what? When? Where did he get-?” Garrus shook his head. “You know what, no. I don’t want to know.” He sighed and looked down at her, still kneeling in front of him, and his desire for her pushed back to the front of his mind.  “I’m sorry I pulled your hair, you’re not hurt, are you?” 

She grinned back up at him, “don’t apologize for that, Garrus. I happen to like it. Just don’t pull any harder than that, I don’t fancy waking up with a bald spot tomorrow.”

He gaped at that. “You.. like having your hair pulled? Doesn’t that hurt?” He cringed, imagining someone tugging at his fringe. Not a pleasant thought.

“Yeah, I guess it must be a human thing. Although it’s not universal, so you should make a habit of asking before you just start pulling.”

It was his turn to laugh, “Yeah? I’ll keep that in mind next time I find myself in an intimate situation with another human”

“You never know, Garrus, you might just decide you like humans once you try them” she teased. 

Of that he was very certain, but but just a sure it only extended to one human in particular.

Without warning, she wrapped her hand around his cock and squeezed the base.

Caught off guard, Garrus let out a closed dialect curse under his breath and reached out to brace himself on the fish tank behind her. Jane grinned wickedly at that and gave him a smirk as she started pumping her hand up and down his shaft, quickly getting him hard again.

“Now, if we’ve got that bit of awkwardness sorted, shall I continue?”

He took in a shaky breath, not sure he trusted his voice. “Please..” the word was scarcely more than a whisper but she must have heard, judging by the way her wicked grin turned to pure evil.

“Please what? What do you want from me Garrus?” Spirits, she was actually going to make him say it. The way her hand was working him, he wasn’t sure he could.

“Please.. Jane..” He drew in a sharp breath as she dipped her head to swirl her tongue quickly over the head and retreated again to smile innocently up at him.

He decided to switch tactics.

Grabbing a fistful of her hair, he guided her mouth gently but firmly exactly where he wanted her. He let out a low moan as she wrapped her lips around him once more and started doing that thing with her tongue again. She dug her short nails into the exposed hide at his waist and hummed encouragingly as he rocked his hips forward.

Spirits, if she kept that up he wasn’t going to last long at all.

Jane let him set the pace, responding to every gentle tug on her hair, and garrus lost himself in the feel of her. Her gentle moans and whimpers spurred him on, and he pushed deeper.

It was unlike anything he’d ever felt before.

Jane released his waist and tapped his thigh, bringing him back to his senses and he immediately released her, worry that he’d gone too far icing his veins.

She pulled away, panting slightly, and let her head drop back to look up at him through heavily lidded eyes. Garrus’s worry was eased somewhat by the smile playing at the corners of her mouth as she caught her breath, but he still berated himself for not making sure she was more comfortable.

“Are you alright? I’m sorry, I should’ve-”

“Jesus, stop worrying so much big guy. I’m fine.” She smiled up at him. “You’re not the only one who got carried away there. Just remember to give a girl a little room to breathe next time, ok?” She shifted her weight around as if preparing to rise, then frowned. “And remind me to put something soft down, I think my knees have mutinied.” 

She arched her back and placed her hands as high up on his chest as she could reach, her smile back in place. “Little help?”

He laughed, relieved by the sparkle in her eyes that said she wasn’t even remotely done with him yet, and grabbed her upper arms to pull her to her feet. However, her knees didn’t seem to cooperate and she immediately stumbled against him, clinging to his cowl to catch her balance.

Garrus seized the opportunity to wrap his arms around her and leaned down to nibble softly at her neck as he pulled her close. She gave a little gasp and me marveled at how soft and sensitive every inch of her skin seemed to be. He wanted to explore that softness, to wring every gasp and moan that he possibly could out of her. 

He had just about decided to push her down on the bed when Jane regained her feet, and it seemed she had other ideas. She pulled back until she was supporting her own weight, then gave him a shove in the direction of the couch.

“Have a seat.” The Commander Voice was back. He wondered if she knew what it was doing to him as he moved to obey. 

Almost as soon as his ass touched the leather of the couch she was on him, throwing one leg over his to straddle him and capturing his mouth in desperate kiss. They moaned in unison as he wrapped his arms around to crush her to him and he felt the slick heat at her center press against his almost painfully hard erection. She ground her hips against him and it was almost more than he could take.

Then her hands were everywhere, searching out sensitive spots wherever she could find them. He lifted one of her hands and guided her fingers to a particularly sensitive spot under his fringe and moaned into her mouth as she started to massage it. 

His hands were full of her, and it seemed he was right; no matter where he touched her, she responded with delicious little sounds which he eagerly drank from her lips. He reveled in the way her flesh was so soft, yet could turn to steel under his hands as she tensed and shifted. He broke the kiss to lick and nibble down her neck to the collar bone he found so distracting, and she arched her neck to give him better access.  

As she moved, he found his hand sliding up her ribcage, stopping just short of the soft swell of her breast. He hesitated only slightly, as unfamiliar as he was with the concept of breasts, he had done at least some research. He knew they were an erogenous zone, and he wouldn’t shy away from any part of her body, especially not one that could bring her pleasure. With one last nip, he pulled his attention away from her collarbone as he lifted his hand to cup her breast.

Jane  _ whimpered _ as he scraped a dulled talon over her hardened nipple, and rocked her hips even more urgently against him. He moved to grip her hips with a growl, forcing her to still before he lost control. He wasn’t through tasting her yet. As much as he wanted to push inside her, to feel her trembling around him, he  _ needed _ to see her come undone first. 

He gave her hips a firm squeeze in warning before returning his attention to her breasts, leaving one hand on her waist to make she had got the message. Lowering his face to her chest, he scented along her skin, his tongue flicking out occasionally to taste her sweat. He could feel her tremble in his hands as he worked closer to her nipples, and as he pinched one gently between his talons and brushed the other with his tongue she jerked against him once more, her breath coming in ragged gasps. 

Her body felt stretched tight as a bowstring ready to snap and he moved his hand from her breast, scraping his talons down her belly to the nest of soft curls at the apex of her thighs. She clung tightly to his cowl, burying her face in his neck as he ran his hand softly across her sex.  _ Spirits _ , she was so wet. He parted her folds to run a talon through her slick heat, pulling another whimper from her lips.

“Garrus… Please..” She gasped against his neck and he briefly entertained the idea of making her beg, but that would have to wait for another time. He wanted inside her so badly it hurt. He circled one talon around her entrance, making her shudder and moan, and he felt her blunt teeth scraping against his neck as he sunk his finger into her.

Between the sounds she was making and the way she clenched around his hand, he very nearly came undone himself. He moved his thumb through her folds, searching for the little bundle of nerves his research told him would send her over the edge. He was so close himself, and if he wanted to see her come before he entered her, he needed it to happen quickly or he’d never last. 

He pressed gentle circles into her clit, and gave up trying to keep her still as she bucked against him, riding his hand. She was so tight around his finger that he worried for a moment whether she’d be able to accommodate him, but all such thoughts were swept away as she arched and cried out. Her body clenched even tighter around his hand, and as he felt her shuddering in crashing waves, he lost his own battle. Head thrown back, his voice joined her cries and he felt himself spilling, hot liquid erupting between them, dripping from her breasts and belly and back down onto him. 

If he’d been able to think properly he might have been embarrassed that he’d finished without her even touching him, but his mind refused to cooperate and he found he didn’t care. For a few moments all he could do was hold her tightly against him as both their bodies came down from the peak. After a minute, Jane raised herself up just enough to press her forehead against his and gave out a happy giggle that pulled him back to his senses.

“Holy fuck. You did do your research.” 

He opened his eyes to look at her, feeling a little smug despite himself. “You were expecting me to walk in here blind? You’re not the only one who always has a plan, you know. Mine just tend to be a little less suicidal.”

She laughed again and sat back, seeming to notice for the first time that they were both covered in his ejaculate. He opened his mouth to apologize but stopped short as she wiped a bit of the clear fluid from her breast and, keeping eye contact with him, popped it into her mouth, making a show of sucking her finger clean. 

Garrus swallowed hard, feeling himself start to stir with definite interest behind his plates once more. Before his fuzzy brain had a chance to react, she had pressed her lips against his and slipped her tongue into his mouth, letting him taste himself on her. He groaned and gripped her tighter, trying to deepen the kiss, but she pulled back, that wicked spark returning to her eyes.

Jumping up and striding to towards the stairs, she called back over her shoulder, “Let’s hit the showers for round two, I’m not done with you yet, Vakarian.”

He watched her walk away, her hips swaying tantalizingly, the insides of her thighs wet and slick, and felt his heartbeat speeding up again. As he rose to follow her, he shook his head and muttered under his breath.

“I am a bad, bad turian.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to have this chapter out a lot sooner, but life kinda kicked my ass this weekend and I had to put it off for a bit.  
> I'll have the third and final chapter out soon <3


	3. Chapter 3

Shepard was humming. 

Garrus almost couldn’t believe it, but as he paused in the doorway, there was no mistaking the tuneless, happy sound escaping her throat. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her look so.. light. He knew the past few months had been taking a toll on her, but it wasn’t until now, seeing her let go of even a little of that weight, that he realized just how much she’d been carrying. 

As he watched her step under the spray of the shower and begin to rinse the evidence of their previous activities down the drain, he couldn’t help but answering her happy hum with one of his own. As soon as he realized what sound he was making he panicked a little, and squashed it off as best he could. 

_ You’re reading too much into it, _ he chided himself. After all, it was just sex that was having this effect on her, not him. He was here because she needed this and he was the only person on this ship she trusted to give it to her.  Hadn’t she expressed earlier that she didn’t want things to change? In fact, she had seemed downright  _ terrified  _ at the prospect. He’d vowed things wouldn’t change between them, and he’d be damned if he’d break that promise. Whatever his emotions were doing right now, he’d deal with it. After they dealt with the collectors. 

All that mattered right now was tonight, and surviving tomorrow. He couldn’t do anything about the collectors at the moment, but what he could do was make sure he helped drain as much of that stress she was carrying as he possibly could.

With new resolve, Garrus stepped forward into the shower as she beckoned him and let her hands wash over him along with the water. He lost the battle with his vocal chords, and a deep rumble built in his chest, thick with emotion. He ignored it, hoping she would do the same. 

He let his eyes drift shut and tried to memorize the way her hands felt against his hide and plates as she washed him, soft and strong and slick with soap that smelled like her. It occurred to him that he would smell of her for a time. He didn’t know if that would be a blessing or a curse. 

Her hands drifted lower, fingers playing at the already loosened seam between the plates at his groin, the sensation fueling the aching desire he felt for her. He didn’t fight it this time, letting himself slip out into her hands as he lowered his head to lick a bead of water from her shoulder.

“Eager, are we?” She giggled as she began working her hand slowly up and down his length. He didn’t reply, instead pushing her up against the wall of the shower, and grinding his hips against hers to show her just how eager he was. He didn’t trust his voice not to betray him, but the rumbling in his chest grew deeper as she arched back against him, and he thought it might be a moot point. 

She clung to him, arms wrapping around his neck, fingers trailing over the most sensitive spots inside his cowl she’d discovered earlier. He growled deeper and fumbled to shut off the water with one hand, the other gripping her waist as he nuzzled and licked his way from her shoulder to neck. Again, he was overwhelmed by her softness, the way the curves of her body molded against the angles of his. 

Finally succeeding in turning off the shower, Garrus turned his full attention on Jane. Slipping his hands down to her ass, he lifted, mandibles flicking in satisfaction as he felt her legs wrap obligingly around his waist. He let out groan as she squeezed him with her thighs, and had to stop himself from pushing into her right then. He could feel her angling her hips to take him, could smell her arousal, but he hesitated. He wasn’t entirely certain how he measured up to humans, his research had focused solely on her anatomy, but he remembered how tight she’d been around his hand as she came, and he couldn’t help but worry that he’d hurt her. Still, there were other ways he could ease her tension. He hoped.

Raising one hand to her back to keep her pressed against him, he turned and carried her over to set on the edge of the small vanity, careful not to let her ass slip back into the sink. She looked up into his eyes, and for a moment he just stared. He’d never imagined he’d see this side of her, no trace of her usual smirk, nor any bravado. Just her, naked and wet, skin flushed with arousal, eyes filled with hunger. Yet there was a question there too. So she’d sensed his hesitation. 

_ Damn. _ Well, with any luck, he’d be able to distract her.

He took her face in his hands and pressed his mouth against hers, slipping his tongue past her lips as she parted them to respond. It was strange, this human custom, but he was quickly learning to appreciate it. It felt almost unbearably intimate, tasting her like this and twining his tongue with hers, and the way she responded so eagerly made it hard to think straight. He released her face and slid his hands down to cup and fondle her breasts. The way every touch made her arch against him and make those soft, needy sounds set his blood on fire.  

Eventually, he broke the kiss to nuzzle down her neck. He removed one hand from her breast to nudge her legs, and felt them slip from around his waist with a small sigh of regret as he moved to kneel in front of her. 

She smelled so good, and he desperately wanted to taste her, to return the favor for what she’d done for him earlier, but he looked up to her face first in question. Her eyes grew almost imperceptibly wider as she nodded, leaning back on her hands and spread her legs wider to give him better access. 

Garrus almost forgot to breathe for a moment, looking at her, open and exposed to him like this. Running his hands up the insides of her thighs, he felt her muscles quivering with what he hoped was anticipation as he leaned closer. He looked up to watch her face as he slid his tongue over her, teasing the outer lips. She had her head tipped back slightly, her bottom lip held between her teeth, and she arched to meet him as much as she could in her precarious position. 

He continued to tease her for a few moments, the little sounds of want and frustration she was making like music in his ears, but apparently she’d decided enough was enough when a leg hooked over his shoulder and pulled him closer. He gave in, sliding his tongue between the folds of her sex to get his first full taste of her.   _ Spirits, _ as good as she she smelled, she tasted even better. She jerked slightly and trembled in his hands as his tongue found her clit, and he decided she was the best thing he’d ever had in his mouth 

He lost himself in the feel and taste of her, his world shrinking down until there was only enough room for the two of them, and his greatest ambition became seeing how long he could keep this up before she was entirely spent. He desperately wanted to take her there, and for the moment she was putty in his hands, so he set to work. He could feel her climbing close to her peak, and slid a finger into her once more, the pad rubbing over a differently textured spot that he hadn’t noticed before. Judging by the way she gasped and jerked against him, it must have been something good, and he started massaging it gently. She moaned, and her legs wrapped around his head as if to keep him in place. She was coming apart in his hands, and it was almost more than he could bear. He moved his free hand to stroke his cock, desperately wanting to feel her stretched around him.

But as she came completely undone under the ministrations of his mouth and hand, he decided he would be content with this. If he could just do this for her, bring her this kind of pleasure, it would be enough. She bucked against him as she came, and he felt a gush of liquid cover his hand and mouth. He was almost certain that hadn’t happened before, but he was past caring. The rumble in his chest had grown to the point that he wouldn’t be surprised if she could hear it, much less feel it against her skin. He slowed the motion of his hand and turned his head to nip at her thigh as her legs turned slack and fell away slightly.

“Garrus” His name was almost a sigh as it fell from her lips, and when he looked up to meet her gaze he was greeted with a sweet, almost sleepy smile. He let himself feel smug for a moment, knowing that he had been the one to put that smile on her face.

“Are you just gonna stare all night, or are you gonna get up here and fuck me?” Some of her earlier teasing had returned to her voice, and she raised an eyebrow, waiting for a response.

He chuckled and nipped at her thigh again, “I thought that’s what I was doing.”

“You know what I mean,” The tone in her voice made him look back up at her. She looked almost uncertain, and it tugged at him, so foreign was the look on her usually confident face. “I mean, uh.. unless you’ve changed your mind. It’s ok if you have, I just..” Her voice trailed off, and Garrus stood as quickly as he could, wincing slightly. She was right, he should have put down something to kneel on.

As soon as he was upright, he pressed himself against her, letting her feel just how much he wanted her. “Jane, I haven’t changed my mind.” He cupped her cheek and leaned down to press his mouth briefly against her lips, then pulled back slightly. “I want you, I just..” He made a helpless gesture and looked down. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

He felt her tug him back in close against her, and when he looked up at her, he was surprised to see her straining to hold back a laugh. He’d never understand humans.

“Garrus, let me tell you the amazing thing about human vaginas.” He quirked a brow plate at that. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised at an anatomy lesson happening in the middle of an interspecies liaison such as this.

“And what’s that?”

“They stretch.” She did giggle a little then, and leaned forward to wrap her arms around him. “And, not to damage your ego too badly, but you’re not that big.” She shrugged. “Bigger than average for a human perhaps, but not outside of the realm of possibility.”

Relief washed over him at that, and he pressed her closer to him. He wasn’t sure why penis size was supposed to hurt his feelings. Must be a human thing.

“Just uh, Garrus?” He leaned back to look at her questioningly. “Maybe not on the bathroom counter, huh? My ass is going numb.”

He laughed and moved to pick her up, “Fair enough. Where to, Commander?” 

“The bed, I think. But Garrus?” He paused to look down at her, halfway to the bathroom door. “Call me Jane, ok?” She shrugged and looked down to where her hand was tracing patterns he could barely feel against one of the plates on his chest. “At least when we’re alone. You’ve never really called me by my first name before tonight, and I think I like it.” 

He leaned down to bump his forehead gently against hers, “Aye Aye Comander Jane”

She slapped his chest and made an indignant sound. “See, this is why we need a brig. remind me to build one later so I can throw you in it.”

“You wouldn’t throw me in the brig, this ship would fall apart without me.” He laughed as he carried her the rest of the way out into the loft and over to the bed.

She snorted. “Riiiight, I couldn’t possibly find anyone else capable of calibrating a thanix. It’s not like there are any engineers on this ship.” She gave out a surprised squeak as he tossed her unceremoniously onto the bed and stood back to look at her. 

A smart ass remark died half formed on his tongue as he took her in. She looked so beautiful like this, her skin damp and flushed, eyes shining and hair in a state of utter disarray. He tried to recall the info packets Mordin had given him, the ones on comfortable positions and reducing chafing, but it seemed Jane was way ahead of him. 

She scooted farther up the bed before rolling to her stomach and raising herself up on her hands and knees. He was dumbstruck for a moment, watching her present herself to him like that, giving him a perfect view of her ass and the drenched folds of her sex. He felt a jolt run through him as she looked at him over her shoulder and reached a hand down to rub herself.

“You coming, big guy? Or am I gonna have to finish this by myself?”

He was halfway to her before she finished speaking. He placed his hands on her hips and couldn’t help leaning down to taste her again. She gave a little gasp of surprise as he licked her fingers where they were working her clit, and worked his way up to her entrance. He couldn’t help the growl of satisfaction that escaped him when she moaned and pushed back against him as he dipped his tongue into her. He didn’t think he’d ever get over the taste of her, and how responsive she was to him. Now that he’d touched her like this, he wondered if he’d ever stop wanting her.

Straightening up, he pushed that thought from his mind.  _ That _ was definitely a problem for another time. 

Still gripping her hip with one hand, he rubbed his cock along her slick folds, noticing as he did that she’d taken her hand away at some point to grip the sheets by her head. He watched her carefully for any sign of discomfort as he slowly began to push into her. It took a good portion of his self control to maintain his slow pace, especially as she moaned and pressed herself back onto him as far as his grip on her hips would allow. She was not just warm, but  _ hot _ and soft and so very, very wet. he silently cursed himself for ever being hesitant to do this as he let go of her hips and rocked his hips until he was completely sheathed inside her. 

He gave her a minute to adjust and leaned forward to lick a trail up the perfect line of her spine, then exhaled against her skin and rested his head on her shoulder as he began to slowly rock himself in and out of her. Every move he made pulled another delicious sound from her, but he wanted to hear her get louder, to lose control. He reached one hand under her to cup a breast, flicking a dulled talon over the hard nipple, and she pressed back into him just a little bit harder. 

His other hand found it’s way down to where they were joined. He felt her muscles tighten and tremble around him as his fingers found her clit and he started stroking her in time with his thrusts. Her voice was definitely getting louder now, and her breathing more rapid. He sped up his pace a little, pulling his hand back from her breast to her hip to maintain control and applying a little more pressure with the hand on her clit, sure she wouldn’t last long like this. 

Before long, her hands had fisted in the sheets, and she was bucking against him with every thrust, but she began to lose her rhythm and Garrus could feel the tension that had preceded her previous orgasms running through her. When she tipped over that edge, trembling and clenching around him in waves, he let go of his control. Gripping her hips with both hands, he pounded himself into her, their bodies making obscenely wet sounds as they came together. He heard her cry out his named and tighten around him once more and with a final thrust he emptied himself into her with a cry of his own.

They stayed joined for a few moments after, Garrus bent over Jane with his face pressed into her shoulder, both of them trembling slightly. As he pulled out of her, Jane made a low, contented sound and she seemed so relaxed Garrus half expected her to drift off to sleep. He more than half wanted to cradle her in his arms and drift off with her. 

Instead, he went looking for something to clean themselves up with. Finding a soft towel in the bathroom, he paused to grab a couple bottles of water from the small fridge under her desk, and after a moments consideration, grabbed one of the fruits she had been so excited to find the last time they were on the Citadel. Apples, he thought they were called. 

When he returned to the bed Jane had hardly moved, only rolling slightly over to her side so she could watch him as he moved around her cabin. She accepted the towel from him with a sleepy smile, and he turned to pull down the blankets on her bed and set one of the water bottles and the apple on the small table within arm reach. When he was done, he looked up to find her watching him, that unreadable look back in her eyes. She sat and pulled her knees up under her chin, fiddling with the blanket under her.

“Garrus… I know it wasn’t part of the deal, but..” She sighed, dropping her face down onto her knees for a moment before looking back up at him. “Will you stay with me? Just for tonight? I.. don’t want to be alone.”

Garrus picked up the apple and water he had just set down and walked over to press them into her hands. As soon as she took them, he sat behind her and pulled her against his chest.  “Anything you want, Jane. I’ve always got your back.” He thought,  _ maybe _ , he was beginning to understand what that look in her eye meant. If he was right, maybe things were changing. Maybe that was okay. 

“You’re too good to me”

They sat there in silence for a while as Jane ate her apple and they both sipped at their water.

 

Later, after she had disappeared into the bathroom to perform some mysterious nighttime ritual, Jane slid into bed next to him and pressed herself as close against him as she could. He had to admit, while human beds were hardly designed for turian comfort, it would be worth any amount of sore muscles to spend the night with her in his arms. 

As Jane drifted off to sleep and started to snore, Garrus sent out an urgent prayer to any deity or spirit who might hear him. He prayed that they both survived the following day, that they’d get a chance to talk about this, whatever had happened between them tonight.

Because this, holding her in his arms while she slept, surrounded by the scent of their joining, this felt so right. And he desperately didn’t want it to happen just once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3


End file.
